E|MERGE 2014 Curators

Davi Cohen is an actor, dancer, singer, teaching artist, writer, and creative facilitator. She has been involved with E|MERGE since its inception as a collaborating artist from 2010-2012 and a producer in 2013. She has been a student of and performer with the SITI Company since 2004. Additional performances and collaborators include Deborah Hay, Taylor Mac, foolsFURY Theater, the San Francisco Opera, Berkeley Repertory Theater, American Repertory Theater, HERE Arts, Teatteri Naamio ja Hoyhen (Finland), Target Margin Theater, Blessed Unrest, the South Wing, and New Dance Alliance. Recently, Davi performed in Ann Hamilton's An Event of a Thread at the Park Avenue Armory, Palissimo's The Painted Bird Trilogy at LaMama Etc, and as the Statue of Liberty in Breakthrough Media's Deport the Statue online campaign for immigration reform. She is a Co-Founder of the New York Abortion Access Fund and a former producer of the Pop-Up Museum of Queer History. Previous vocations include: acrobatic clown at the San Francisco Circus Center, bike messenger, and researcher for the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in South Africa. Davi's spiritual practices include sitting and moving meditation, yoga, weightlifting, and mindful research into how people connect and collaborate with each other.

Karen Bernard is a choreographer and interdisciplinary solo performance artist based in New York City. She began studying dance at age three with her father, Steven Bernard, a company member with 20th century pioneer, Charles Weidman. She grew up in a household that incorporated her father’s dance school, with students crossing through the family space, so performance art has been deeply engrained throughout her life. As an artist and the Founder and Director of New Dance Alliance (NDA), she performs, teaches, lectures and serves on advisory panels across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. This cross-pollination strengthens an ongoing social dialogue among international artists, one that exemplifies her lifelong commitment to performance. Between 1986 and 1998, Bernard presented a series of solos in collaboration with Dia Center for Arts and went on to be presented at The Kitchen and Performance Space 122 (It Could Have Been Different) and Danspace at St. Mark’s Church and Dance Theater Workshop (Blue). In 2004, incorporating old video footage, conversational text, and popular music, Bernard received critical acclaim for Removed Exposure, which premiered at Dixon Place in New York and went on to the Festival of New Dance in St. John’s, Newfoundland; Women in Transition, a festival in Vienna; then was remounted at Here Arts Center in New York. In 2006, Totally In Love premiered at The Kitchen and in 2008 Surfing The Shadow premiered at Joyce SoHo. From 2008-2012 she created Ouette developed through The Field and residencies at Bogliasco, Earthdance, Silo, White Oak and Wassard Elea and work-in-progress showings at Dixon Place in New York. Highlighted performances of Ouette included the Rhubarb Festival in Toronto, Joyce SoHo in New York and the Festival of New Dance in St. John’s Newfoundland. Her most recent work Suspending and Other Trick was made possible through funds from USAProjects and Electronics Media Arts – and residencies at Bogliasco, Earthdance and Tractor, D’Clinic. She was awarded a Movement Research Artist in Residence and received a BAX 10 award for her invaluable service to artists in the founding and development of the Performance Mix Festival. Bernard is a Co-Founder of E|MERGE and has also curated and produced the residency since its inception.

Krista DeNio is an interdisciplinary choreographer, director, performer, writer, and educator, committed to developing new forms of performance work and evolving interdisciplinary thinking and creation between the fields of dance, movement, theater, and performance. She collaborates with many artists across disciplines to create collaborative, interdisciplinary performance productions. From original solo theater works to ensemble dance theater work, community-derived, interview-based theater projects, structured improvisations, and site-specific performance, she is invested in the form that best serves the situation. The work seeks to investigate the interrelationship between impactful global socio-political issues and our intimate personal lives while celebrating the wonder, mystery, and humor of our human condition. Krista has worked in the Bay Area, California, NYC, New Mexico, Western Massachusetts, Colorado, and internationally. She was the Executive & Artistic Director of Earthdance for 3.5 years from 2009-2013. Krista is a Co-Founder of E|MERGE and has also curated and produced the residency since its inception. It has been one of the greatest creative endeavors that she has co-created, and it has been an honor and pleasure. Krista is currently in residence at CounterPULSE in San Francisco with her current work the CONTACT project. www.kristadenio.com

Memo studied Visual and Performing Arts in his home town of Miami. He has been involved with many companies including Nettles Artists Collective, La MaMa ETC, and HaitiDansCo. He brings to his work a toolset influenced by his experience in African dance, Suzuki, sculpture, photography, Viewpoints, technology, writing, Film Art Direction, and more that allow for a wide spectrum of exploration. Memo always looks for opportunities to collaborate on experimental and mixed discipline projects and would like to thank all the E|MERGErs past and present for sharing their experience and knowledge so generously. www.MemosWorld.com